D 527 
.3 
.U6 
1918 
Copy 1 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



020 935 148 1 



Congress, i HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. I )(hument 
Session. f I No. 1227. 



LL AND MOVING PICTURES OF vVAR PREPARA- 
TIONS AND OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY 
FORCE. 



LETTER 



THE SECRETARY OF WAR, 

TKANSMITriNG 

INFORMATION REGARDING THE TAKING AND EXHIBITION OF 
STILL AND MOVING PICTURES OF WAR PREPARATIONS AND 
OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. 



.Iri.v li:. liMS. — KetViiiMl in the Coiiiinittee uii Military Affairs and ordered to 

be printed. 



I,' W.\R Department, 
Washington., July 10, 1918. 

To tlu' Sl-KAKEH OK THE HoUSE OF RePRE.SENT.\TIVES. 

Silt: I lia\i' tlu' honor to traiisniit licicwith the report requested 
ill H. R. 402, dated June 29. IDls. 

Ill tliis eoniiection I desire to invite your attention to the fact that 
the information with reference to question No. 4 has been prepared 
by tlie chairman of the Coinniittee on Public' Information, as it per- 
tains to the adininistralion of tliat committee. 
Re.-pecl fully. 

Newton D. Baker, 

t^ecretary of War. 

A^'AI! Department, 

W(i.'<hi Ill/ton. JuJij ,9. WIS. 

Sir: The following; report is submitted pursuant to House resolu- 
tion No. 402 of June 2!). 1918: 

1. How many per.sons in the Signal Corps have been ordered to 
take still or moving ])ictures of the American Expeditionary Force? 

Each corps head(]uarters and di\ision headquarters of the Ameri- 
can Fxjicdilionary Force are provided with a Signal Corps photo- 
grapliic unit t'onsistiiig of one officer and three enlisted men. These 
units, together with the personnel necessary for tlevelopment labora- 
tories, supply service, and to do special photographic work ordered 



.•5 



STILL AND MOVING PICTURES OF WAR PREPARATIONS, ETC 



vra: 



by tlie Coiniiiander in C'hii'i' of tlic Anioiit'iin Expeditionary Force 
a<i;gregate 17 officers and 102 enlisted men, as shown by the May 
report received from the headquarters, American Expeditionarv yf 
Force. A6<^ 

2. "VAHiat. disposition is made of such negative and fihns as are^j , 



Force. A6 

2. "VAHiat. disposition is made of such negative and fihns as are^j^ 
returned to this country? ' ^t\ 



All negatives of motion pictures received from overseas and prints ' "^ 
of still pictures are delivered to the War Plans Division of the 
General Staff for the purpose of the historical record and propa- 
ganda. 

3. In what manner, under what terms, and what regulations are 
the pictures distributed for public exhibition ? 

Duplicate negatives of such portion of the film as may be suitable 
for public exhibition aud which, in the judgment of the military 
censor, contains no information of value to the enemy are turned 
over to the Committee on I'ublic Information. 

4. With whom and by whom are contracts made for such exhibi- 
tion purposes and what are the conditions of the same? 

"Wlien the General Staff' in July, 1917, designated the Signal Corps 
as the proper bureau of the War Department to collect and obtain 
(he necessary photographs to form a comprehensive pictorial history 
of the war with Germany, the Committee on Public Information 
maile representations as to the publicity value of much of the mate- 
rial that would be gathered. It was pointed out that since the 
military necessities prevented any complete view of war progress and 
preparations by private photographers, a very valuable aid to civil- 
ian morale would be lost unless some arrangement could be made for 
the public exhibition of such portion of the War College material 
as might be found suitable for exhibition, at the same time contain- 
ing no information of value to the enemy. 

The contention was granted, and the Committee on Public Infor- 
mation was recognized by the W^ar Department as the sole medium 
of distribution. 

The routine is as follows: The negatives of still and motion pic- 
tures, whether taken in France or in the United States by the uni- 
formed photogi'aphers of the Signal Corps, are delivered undeveloped 
to the Chief of Staff' for transmission to the War College division. 
Such portion of the material as is deemed suitable and proper for 
public exhibition is then turned over to the Committee on Public 
Information in the form of duplicate negatives. The Committee on 
Public Information, out of its own funds, has ])rints made from these 
negatives. The manner of presentation to the public has several 
forms, which may be explained as follows: 

Feature films : " Pershing's Crusaders " is cited as an example. 
From the photographic material collected by the Signal Corps oper- 
ators in Franco, together with selections from material gathered by 
Signal Corps operators in the United States, a seven-reel feature is 
formed to set before the people a comprehensive record of war prog- 
ress in this country and in France. 

This feature, thi'ough' tlie coniniittec's own organization, is shown 
in the principal theaters in each of the larger cities, the aid of State 
Councils of Defense, patriotic organizations, and public citizens 
being enlisted to make each showing an event of real patriotic signifi- 
cance. -With respect to these showings, there is no thought of profit. 

07 Of D. 
OCT 15 |»ja 



STILL AND MOVINCi PICTURES OF WAR PREPARATIONS, ETC. 3 

the priiu'ipnl idoa heinj;- to aiiiii tlic widest possible piililicity. When 
tiieso >h()\viii<>-s liiive (leinoiistraled tlie value of tlie ])ietui-e as a com- 
iiiereial proposiiioii. tlie feature is otl'ered to the motion industry 
as a whole, and awarded to the hi<;;hesl Ijidder in point of financial 
return and widest disti'iiiution. 

In the case of " Pershing's Crusaders," the first of the eonimittee's 
feature films, the contract went to the First National Exhibitor's 
Association. The terms of the contract are that the committee shall 
receive TO jier cent of the gross receii)ts. and that the picture itself 
shall be shown in a minimum of 2.500 motion-picture houses through- 
out the country. Kach of these houses pays a certain agi'eed amount 
to the First National Exhibitor's Association, and the committee's 
percentage is a percentage of the total gross received by the dis- 
tributors. 

The same procetlniv will be followed in connection with all future 
feature films prepared by the Committee on Public Inforniatiop,. 

Inter-Allied AA'ar Eeview : When the War College material has been 
coml)ed for such scenes as ^uit the needs of the feature film, a por- 
tion of the remaindei- is utilized for inclusion in the Inter-Allied 
W:\v Review, an agreement entered into l)v the Committee on Public 
Information, acting foi- the United States, and representatives of the 
Governments of (ireat Britain, France, and Italy. 

Not one of these Governments, it may be ex])lained, makes free 
gifts of its pictures to private enter|)rise. but handles them upon 
commercial lines entiivly, f(n- in liie motion-picture world revenue 
and cii'culatioii are synonymous. 

It was the first contention of the rejiresentatives of the allied Gov- 
ernments that this AVar Review should be otfered to the highest 
bidder, but tlu> Committee on Public Information insisted that the 
four news weeklies of the I nited States should be given prior 
consideration. 

As a consequence, the following offer was made to these four com- 
panies, the Hearst Pathe. the Universal, the Mutual, and the Gau- 
mont, that 2,000 feet of film showing the American Expeditionar_v 
Foi-ce would be released to them each week for the flat sum of 
$5,000. 

The representatives of the allied Governments felt that this price 
robljcd them of fair and demonstrated ])rofits, but the Coinmittee on 
Public Information gained its point thi'ough insistence. 

At that period in the negotiations when the largest of these week- 
lies had accepted the contract one of the companies entered protest 
against the plan. As a consequence of this attitude the Inter-Allied 
AVar Review was offered to the motion-picture industry as a whole, 
as was the case with the feature films. 

P2very exchange was given an ojiportunity to bid. and when these 
bids were passed upon it was found that the Pathe Exch;inge (Inc.) 
had made the best offer, and the contract was awarded to them on 
these tei-ms : Eighty per cent of proceeds and a guaranty of allowing 
in 2,500 theaters as a minimum. 

When the feature film has been made and ixiaterial released for 
inclusion in Inter-Allied AVar Review there remains a certain amount 
of material that is not in any sense left over, but merely excess that has 
as high publicity value as any of the other films. This is placed at 
the disposal of the news weeklies at the nominal cost of $1 a foot. 



4 STILL AND MOVING PICTURES OF WAR PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

At the time when the Committee on Public Information was called 
to appear before the Appropriations Conmiittee of the House, in 
defense of its request for moneys to carry on the work, all of its 
motion-picture activities were made the subject of a very seai-cliinjx 
examination by the members of tlie committee, and in the printed 
copy of the hearings pages 70 to 81. inclusive, are given over to the 
examination. 

Not only were the plans of the committee a])i)roved but the ai)pro- 
priation itself, approved by Congress, gave this conunittee the right 
to continue the collection of the moneys, further providing the 
receipts should be paid into tlie Treasury to the credit of the connnit- 
tee's appropriation and be available for the motion-picture activities 
outlined. 

To explain, the funds received from these sources do not represent 
profit in any sense of tlie worth E)very cent goes to the manufacture 
and distribution of the enormous amount of film that we are com- 
pelled to distribute without return in foreign countries as part of the 
educational campaign of the United States. Wherever possible tliis 
distribution is made througli the regular channels, but there are vari- 
ous countries where these cliannels do not exist and where free sliow- 
ing is a necessity. It is also tlie case that all features and war 
reviews will be supplied free of charge to the cantonments in the 
United States and to the picture shows on tlie firing line in France. 

It has been deemed wise, and Congress itself has approved, that 
the Government is not justified in making free gifts of these pictures 
to private enterprises for their profit, but that it is justified in show- 
ing them commercially, using the returns to defray the heavy 
expenses of the free distribution demanded by the necessities of our 
morale at home and even larger necessities of comliating the German 
lie in other countries of the world. 

The motion-picture industry, with one exception, understands this 
arrangement, ac(|uiesces in it. and is giving the Conunittee on Public 
Information whole-hearted support, as well as i)utting its vast ma- 
chinery at the disposal of the Government to meet the demands of 
the national service. 

5. What ])ersons other than members of the Signal Corps have 
been authoi'ized to take still or moving pictm-es of the American 
Ex]ieditionarv Force and in what mannei' is control exercised over 
exhil)ition of the pictures so taken? 

(ien. Pei'shing is authorized to grant permits to civilians to take 
l)ictiii'es subject to censorshi]) by the American Expeilitiouarv Force. 
It is unknown how many permits have been issued by Gen. Pershing 
or to whom issued. These pictures can be exhil)ited in tlu' T'nited 
States only through the operation of the Committee on Public 
Information. 

(). Are members of the Signal Corps ordered to take still or mov- 
ing ]iictures of military preparations in this country, including 
activities in the cantonments, ordnance, and airiilane |)roduction 
and the pi'oduction of articles used in the war and what disposition 
is made of same? 

Representatives of the Signal Corps have taken pictures stated 
in question No. 6. All negatives taken by Signal Corps representa- 
tives are turned in to the General Staff. 



STILL AND MOVIXC PICTURES OF WAR PREPARATIONS, ETC. 5 

7. Are pictures so taken exhibited in public places? If so. by 
wliose authority and under what terms ? 

Pictures such as tiiose described in question No. (i are turned in 
to tlie (ieneral StatV. If they reveal no military secret, copies are 
furnished tlie C'onuniltee on Public Information on their request. 
Tiioy are oxliibited to tiie <xeneral pul)lic oidy throuph the operation 
of the Committee on Public Information. 

8. Have civilian photographers been authorized to take still or 
mf)vinii pictures of the American Expeditionary Forces or of war 
pi-eparadons in this country, including activities in the cantonments, 
ordnance, and airplane j)roduction and the production of articles 
used in tlie war? If so, what disposition is made of such negatives 
and films: in what manner, upon what terms, and under what regu- 
hitions are such ))ictures distributed for pul)lic exhibition: with 
wliom and by whom are contracts made for such exhibition i)urposes 
and what are the conditions of the same? 

On December 29, 1917, Gen. Pershing requested permission to 
grant outsiders permits to take photographs, subject to censorship by 
the American Expeditionary Force. This permission was granted 
him. It is uidiuown in this office to whom he lias granted such per- 
mits. In the United States the Committee on Public Information, in 
cooperation with tiie .Vrmy and by order of the Secretary of War, 
has worked out a pei-uiit system to enable civilian photographers to 
take -still and moving i)ietures of war preparations in this country. 
This permit systeui safeguards military interests and deals ade- 
(juately, and even generously, with all private interests desiring to 
present the war progress of the Xation to the people in picture form. 
AA'itii the exception of certain camps where secret tests are being 
made, cantonments have been free to photographers from the begin- 
ning of the war. With respect to ordnance and airplane production 
the military authorities have not deemed it wise to expose secrets to 
other than those in uniform, and while permits have been given in 
some cases, the general policy has been to exclude j^rivate photogra- 
phers from factories where ordnance and airplanes are being made. 
The War Depai-tment has been insistent, however, that no photo- 
graphs oi- motion ])ictures shall be taken either in camp or factory 
except inider the safeguard provided by the peruiit system devised by 
the Connnittee on Public Information and approved liy the War De- 
jiartment. A form of this jiermit is att-ached. Such procedure makes 
an investigation of the applicant possible and furnishes control over 
the pictures taken. 

9. AVhat revenue is deri\ed from such contracts, aud wiiat disi)o- 
sition is nuadc of the same? 

The Signal Corps has received no remuneration for copies of pho- 
tographs furnished the Committee on Public Information. H. R. 
12441, in that ]iortiou of the law relating to the Connnittee on Public 
Information, contains this chxusc: " Pro r id ed f anther. That all 
moneys received in motion-picture activities of the committee shall 
be paid into the Treasury to the credit of the appropriation and be 
available for the said activities," 
Respectfully, 

Xewtox D. Baker, 

Secretary of War. 
The Speaker or tiik House of Representatives. 



6 SriLL AND MOVING PICTUEES OF WAR PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

\ 
Wak Department. 

photographeb's permit. 

Dute is.suetl 

(This permit must 1)0 jiresented for use within I.t diiys of above date, and 
will be taken uj) by the authority to whom it i.s addresse<l and returned by him 
to the Committee on Public Information, 10 .lackson Place, Washington, D. C. ) 
To Commandi.ng Officer, 



Permission is hereby extended to the photographer named below to take 
photographs of the following .subjects within your jurisdiction, subject to such 
restrictions as you may deem advisable, and to those imposed below. 

No photographs showing the following shall be made : Experiments in ma- 
terials, entrenchments, or formations ; machine-gun targets ; camouflage work. 

Firm or organization 

Address 

Permit must be presented by individual named below. 
Name of photographer 

This permit is is.sued on the express condition that all photographs shall be 
submitted promptly and before publication to the Committee on Public Informa- 
tion, 10 .Jackson Place, Washington, D. C, and that only those pictures will be 
released that secure ofBcial approval from the War Department through the 
Committee on Public Information. 

Still photogrnphs with name of photographer and titles marked plainly on 
rever.se side should be submitted in triplicate i one print, if approved, will be 
stamped " Passed by the Committee on Public Information, Washington." and 
will be returned to the owner : one print will bo retained as a record by the 
Committee on Public Information, and one print will be retained as a record 
by the War Department. Prints that are not admissible will be stamped " Not 
passed by the Committee on Public Information, Washington." and will be 
returned to the owner. The pulilication. reproduction, sale, or other distribu- 
tion of such pictures is forbidden. 

Motion-picture films with titles to be used should be submitted in duplicate and 
in positive. One film will be returned to the owner with directions for altera- 
tions, if required, and the other film will be retained by the Committee on 
Public Information as a record. 

The War Department reserves the privilege of using such photographs for 
official purpose's. 

This permit may be revoked at the discretion of the authorities to whom this 
communication is directed. 

By order of the Secretary of War. 

Adjutant General. 
Approval recommended. 

For the Vnmmittce on Public Information, 
M'tisliitigton, 1). C. 

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